Swan Hills Grizzly Questions

[Elkaholic6]

Originally Posted by BrownBear416

Lots of bears in the Swan Hills area and sightings are plentiful for people that hunt there lots or outfitt.Quite a few spotted right along highway 33.

I have only seen a few grizz around Slave and a few that have been traped.Every year there are quite a few sightings though in the area.We always see quite a few set of tracks every fall and spring.

2nd biggest set of grizz tracks I have ever seen in Alberta

Pic taken way back in the Martin Hills area north of Slave.

Samsquatch!

[simmered]

There were a bunch of grizzlies hanging around Swan Hills when we had the old dump open. They had become quite a problem. Since the new dump has been put in the appearance of grizzly bears in town has been VERY limited. We are fortunate to have a very good F&W officer in town. There have been a few incidents with someone leaving a house trailer with food still in it out at the old dump site which brought in at least 7-8 grizzly bears last fall pretty close to town. not very smart in my opinion.
Here a couple pics of a couple grizzly twins that had there mother shot couple years ago now.

[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

I wish I had some pics of these guys when they were younger but their colours have not changed since they were year old cubs, kinda neat watching them get older!

I can certainly attest to the Swan Hills grizzly being unique. I have never seen a silver back grizz anywhere else. Beautiful bears thats for sure!!

a few more pics that I dug up.

[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

[Matt L.]

Wouldn't be Ken Schmidt you're referring to?

[ishootbambi]

they come in that color phase throughout their range. i have seen that near cranbrook bc, and in kananaskis country.

[Lone_Wolf]

Neat stories and pics! I have a story to share. I saw my first bear when I was 4. I was with my dad driving down an old road (close to where my bear bait is now). He stopped along a cutline and told me to look down it. Walking along the fenceline was the first and biggest bear I have ever seen. I remember the hump on its back, and its beautiful color unlike any bear I have seen since. I remember my dad telling my mom and neighbors the next day he thought it was a grizzly.

Never had anymore sightings but I always think about that day 14 years ago. I wonder if it could have been?

[u_cant_rope_the_wind]

Growing up around Nojack area we had quite a few grizzlys in that area years ago, but now it may even be tuff to find a Black bear

[simmered]

Originally Posted by Matt L.

Wouldn't be Ken Schmidt you're referring to?

Yep thats the guy. Very knowlegable about the bears in the area

[wolfkiller]

Ken Schmidt and John Gunson of Alberta Fish and Wildlife and Peter Clarkson of the University of Calgary studied wolves in the mountainous and foothill habitats near Nordegg during 1983-1986. Six wolves in two packs were radioed. Ken knows quite a bit about everything, very well respected CO.

[albertadeer]

Originally Posted by ishootbambi

they come in that color phase throughout their range. i have seen that near cranbrook bc, and in kananaskis country.

In grande prairie iv seen dark dark brown and a silvertip in one day...as you said kind of a color phase, Swan hills grizz are thought to be prairie grizzly...as you said.

[Peaks]

all I can remember is prolly 35 yrs ago is the Bnaff problem bears were always relocated to Swan Hills for some reason ..So it was always assoiciated that the bears there were nasty and of course continued the genes ..IMOP

[sourdough doug]

On the first trapline, that I was senior on, I had five griz on my line, that I saw one fall. There was a sow with her two cubs, another two/three yr old and an old boar. The old fella was around for a few years and even when I was using the cabin, would pass right by at nite or day, when I wasn't there. As many times to, he would back up to the corner post of the cabin and scratch his back, leaving hair on the wood. I'm real glad he didn't decide to do that at nite while I was sleeping. He would have really got my attention then. I saw him on several occasions, daytime thankfully. How many times he saw me , only he knows . I often thought that we had an understanding, being as how he never once bothered any of my sets and yet evidence was there that he was. Don't know if that was symptoms of the "bambi syndrome" or not. After I got different line, I missed the old guy and to date have not befriended any more of his kindred and somehow think, he was one of a kind, probably lucky for me. The two of us had other meetings that I tell whenever bear come into the conversation. Kinda neat to have such close encounters...

[Matt L.]

Originally Posted by wolfkiller

Ken Schmidt and John Gunson of Alberta Fish and Wildlife and Peter Clarkson of the University of Calgary studied wolves in the mountainous and foothill habitats near Nordegg during 1983-1986. Six wolves in two packs were radioed. Ken knows quite a bit about everything, very well respected CO.

Ken's still known as the wolfman to this day lol. My dad was a forestry officer in Nordegg at that time so he knows Ken well.

[AB RANGER 007]

How come no one on this Forum has mentioned Al Oming? He had the area shout down for a long time while he did his research on The Barren Land Griz that he though had settleled into the area years ago. I am only 78 and moved into the Edmonton area in 1958 and I remember this happening. I think the large (pet)Griz that he had at his place, (game farm), South East of Edmonton came from this area.

Bruce.

[abhunt]

I am working in the Swan Hills area and have seen several Grizzlys lately.
A few evenings ago I got to witness 2 big silver boars fighting over a silver sow.It was without a doubt one of the wildest things I have seen in the many years I have been in the bush.There was hair and dirt flying all over the place.I managed to get a short video but they were too far away to see much.
The govt says there are only 25 grizz in the Swan Hills area!!! Isn't it kinda funny I have seen 6 different ones in a 5 square mile area and have heard of numerous other sightings in the area.I have seen 25% of them!!
There was a well operator charged by a big boar last week when he tried to get closer for a pic.The bear chased him back to his truck.

[creeky]

Originally Posted by AB RANGER 007

How come no one on this Forum has mentioned Al Oming? He had the area shout down for a long time while he did his research on The Barren Land Griz that he though had settleled into the area years ago. I am only 78 and moved into the Edmonton area in 1958 and I remember this happening. I think the large (pet)Griz that he had at his place, (game farm), South East of Edmonton came from this area.

Bruce.

just rereading this old post (courtesy TM). post #9 Al Oeming's mentioned AB RANGER.

Saw that Grizz at Polar Park when he was 18 (guessing), fat but still impressive.

Al told me "Big Dan" weighed close to 1100lbs as a 3 year old-neat.


------------------------------------------